Nantes
79 housing units and Vatel school
The most interesting and eye-opening feature of the Brossette parcel, with its porous urban space, is its ability to be crossed.
At the north end of the Brossette islet, on the edge of the eponymous square, plot 4 is the point of entry and completion. Since the Loire its volumetric announces all the elements that are available on the site; Conversely, seen from the south, this architecture completes the succession of spaces and connections characterizing the Brossette islet. The volume is refined as it rises, responding to poplars bordering it and neighboring buildings, to harmonize the relationship. The épannelage also allows the stud 4 to hold its role of signal and to close perspective from the major axis of the site.
Comprising 71 dwellings as well as an activity room on the ground floor, the tower is divided into three superimposed volumes; their shift forms private terraces. Generous loggias, external extensions of living rooms, decorate the majority of housing. Taking advantage of the height of the tower, panoramic views framed give to see the surroundings - the Loire, the historic city center, the island of Nantes. The frame of the facade is formed by the alternation of horizontal and vertical solid bands with partially perforated parts, sifting the natural lighting. The brushed aluminum, dressing smooth planes, gives the stud 4 a homogeneous image and reflects its context. At night, the game is reversed; the building comes alive through the activity inside.